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Showing posts from January, 2010

Weekly Finish #2 Quilt Along Heart Quilt

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I started this quilt last year in August as part of Chrissie Grace’s Quilt Along party . Well, I FINALLY finished quilting and binding it.  This is another quilt I am donating to Project Linus so the binding is sewn on by machine.  I think this makes it sturdier to withstand the many machine washings. I also quilted it with an all-over loopy design, which seems much easier than meandering.  The hearts have a raw edge so they should get fuzzier with each washing. The backing is a pre-owned curtain that was donated by my neighbor.  She replaced the curtains in her bedroom and gave me her old ones … they make great backings and so pretty too. I’m really happy how this quilt came out … just in time for Valentine’s Day! Happy quilting!

Camp Sloanie Winter StashBuster

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I’m a fan of Pat Sloan designs and just love her fabric!  And just because I need another project to do (not!), I have joined Camp Sloanie for the Winter StashBuster weekend event.  Sewing starts Friday, February 5 and we’ll be sewing, sewing, sewing all weekend long!  The best part is there will be prizes given away throughout the 3 days! If you want to join the fun, click on the button to visit Pat Sloan’s webpage for more information.  The first assignment … pick your fabrics!  So let’s all head to camp … Camp Sloanie that is!

Weekly Finish #1 String Quilt Challenge

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  Wow, this is a really scrappy, busy quilt!  I did an all-over loopy meander design.  I tried to keep it simple since there is so much going on with the top.  I was going to use a 101 Dalmatians bed sheet for the backing, but instead, I used a really cute Raggedy Ann-Andy print that I found in my stash.  It has a medical theme and the characters are dressed as doctors and nurses.  I thought this’d be appropriate since I am donating this to Project Linus and the quilt will be going to the Loma Linda hospital. I’m posting this on Stephanie’s Loft Creations blog and her No Strings Attached challenge , and I’m also participating in Stacie’s It’s a String Thing Challenge . I just want to share photos of the string quilts I made for my grandchildren for Christmas 2008.  The one on the left is a Spider Web design from a Quilt In A Day book: Click on the photo for more pictures And, like any good quilter, I have a couple of WIP projects.  Another nickel quilt: this is Ti

Rainy Days and String Quilting

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It’s been raining like crazy all this week … which makes for perfect quilting days.  In between regular household chores, I was able to make some progress in my string quilt. The picture above shows 12 blocks (3 x 4 setting).  I originally intended to make 20 blocks (4 x 5 setting), but I think I’ll just add one more column and one more row of 6-inch patches.  I’m thinking I’ll add a 2.5 inch inner border and then use more strings to make the outer border, a piano-key border.  I’m still playing around with this but I HOPE I can finish it up over the weekend. On a more personal note, I’m a little sad (really a lot sad) because my DS#2 has returned to Tennessee after spending the past 8 weeks visiting for the holidays.  Too bad time has to fly by so fast.  I guess I’ll just have to be comforted by my quilting and immerse myself in sewing … that always makes me feel better! Keep on piecing!

WIP String Quilt Challenge

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  I’m finally getting caught up on my string quilt blocks.  As I previously posted , I already had two 4-patch blocks made up:  Each string patch measures 6 inches, and each block measures 11-1/2 inches (unfinished).  I’ve been saving up “used” dryer sheets for months and have saved up a binful.  Should have enough for a couple of string quilts! I’m going to make the quilt with 5 rows of 4 blocks each, so I’ll need to make 80 string patches.  I first had to iron each of the dryer sheets (argh!) so they would lay flat before I cut them: The standard size for each dryer sheet is 6-1/2” x 9”.  So I just layered 6-8 sheets and cut the 9” side down to 6-1/2”.  Each sheet is now 6-1/2” square:  So far I’ve made an additional 20 patches.  These are so much fun to make … and easy!  No seams to match, no tiny pieces to patch … just a straight stitch to zip through the sewing machine while I watch TV.    I love using the dryer sheets.  Not only are the sheets ligh

ROAD TO CALIFORNIA Quilt Show 2010

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My BFF Brenda and I had a blast yesterday at the Road to California Quilt Show!  We’ve been going every year for at least the past seven years, and we always have loads of fun.  We don’t know which we like best: shopping or viewing all the gorgeous quilts!  We are always in awe of the unbelievable talent and sometimes feel more than a little intimidated by such beautiful works of art. Just click here to see pictures of some gorgeous quilts from the Road to California 2010 ... The Quilt Show has a special exhibit, and you will be amazed!    Every year I spend way too much, but I can’t seem to help myself … I just can’t control myself when I’m surrounded by so many beautiful fabrics!  But this year I was a good girl and kept to my “shopping list”.   I was a little disappointed that I could not find the nickel book by Pat Speth “Amazing Nickel Quilts” (it was sold out so I’ll have to order it online).  Instead, I bought this kit from Pincushion Boutique to make a quilt fo

Scrappy Nickel Quilts

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I love scrappy quilts!  And these are my two favorite books:  Nickel Quilts and More Nickel Quilts by Pat Speth .  I use them so much that I took them to Office Depot and had them spiral bound.  Now they lay flat, and it is much easier to read the instructions. Over the past couple of years, I have made 14 quilts and tops from these two books.  Great scrap stash busters: Click here or on picture for links to each quilt. And I am so happy to discover that The Nickel Lady has a new release: Amazing Nickel Quilts !  I can’t wait to get my own copy! Click on the picture to link to the webpage … you’ll be able to get a preview of some great new nickel quilts! Until next time … Keep on piecing!

WIP Halloween String Quilt

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I've been blog hopping all over blog land looking at all the quilty blogs ... and am amazed to see all the information, resources and pictures! It's all wonderful and I am so hooked! I stumbled upon Stephanie’s Loft Creations blog and she is hosting the No Strings Attached challenge .  I remembered making these blocks about a year ago but put them away to make other projects.  So, I decided I would accept the challenge and am now so motivated to finish making this string quilt.  Here’s a picture of the scrap stash of Halloween and novelty prints I’ll be using: Stay tuned for more to come …

Happy New Year! Celebrating 10 Years of Quilting

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Happy New Year!  It’s hard to believe that a decade has passed since we were all celebrating The Millennium!  I still remember the worries about computers and how everything was going to crash.  I am amazed at how fast time flies! I started quilting in 1999 so I am also celebrating the past 10 years of quilting and looking forward to the next ten.  This is a picture of the last quilt I made in 2009 … it is my 200th quilt! I made this quilt for DS#2 who graduated from HS last year but is currently staying with his sister in Tennessee while he figures out what he wants to do.  He plans to someday go into law enforcement.   The pattern for this quilt is from McCall's Quilting Quick Quilts and is named “In the Line of Duty” (c2001).  This patriotic quilt was designed to honor police officers who were injured or killed in the line of duty.  Eight of the red blocks are arranged horizontally to represent the slain officers, and blue vertical stripes signify the “thin blue li